CHICAGO (AP) — A water safety nonprofit group has found that the number of drownings has increased so far this year on Lake Michigan.
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project report shows 20 recorded drownings on Lake Michigan so far in 2016. That’s compared to 23 for all of 2015. The Chicago Tribune reports that the group’s data point to Lake Michigan having had nearly as many drownings and water rescues as the four other Great Lakes combined since 2010. Lake Michigan has had about 220 drownings since 2010. Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Superior combined for about 250 drowning during the same time period.
The group bases its numbers on confirmed current-related drownings from reports from the U.S. Coast Guard, first responders and news outlets.
